


I Will Love You 'Til The World Ends

by Hypocorismm



Series: Watch It Grow, Child of Wolf [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Cool Dad Stiles, Cora and Isaac have a kid, F/M, Future Fic, Lydia is the best aunt ever, Overprotective Derek, Prom, Scott and Allison have a kid, Sibling Rivalry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-29
Updated: 2013-08-29
Packaged: 2017-12-24 22:43:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/945526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hypocorismm/pseuds/Hypocorismm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sadie Stilinski-Hale grew up with both her parents, and a whole loving pack. 15 years after the Incident, Sadie is ready to go to prom, because a cute boy really likes her and god, Dad, I know it's the full moon but I can handle it, pleeeeeease.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Will Love You 'Til The World Ends

Sadie Stilinski-Hale stared down her father, her head held high and her gaze locked with his in her own stubborn way of telling him she wasn’t backing down.

“Come on, Daddy,” she finally said, breaking the three minute silence between them. “He’s really nice, and he’s funny, and he isn’t freaked out by Pops! Everyone is freaked out by Pops, and he likes me enough that he isn’t! Please, Daddy!”

Stiles sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. Stiles knew exactly what his daughter meant, because Derek Hale had never grown out of looming in dark corners and glowering at passersby.

“It’s _prom_ , Daddy! You just have to let me out with him for a few hours to a chaperoned school function!”

“It’s the full moon, Sadie,” Derek finally said from the corner, barely looking up from his morning paper.

“So? I can control myself! You could too, when you were my age! This isn’t fair,” Sadie argued. “Grampa let you out of the house when you were my age, Daddy. And you were a far worse child than I am!”

“Insulting me isn’t going to sway me, Sadie,” Stiles said.

“Please, please, _please!_ All of my friends are going! Don’t make me the only junior not going to prom just because I was born a werewolf! That’s just prejudiced and rude. You know I can control my shifts! I know how to control myself on the full moon!”

“You’ve shifted on the full moon since you were 13, Sadie,” Derek said, setting the paper down. “You can control yourself on the full moon because you have your pack around you to make sure you do. What happens if you go to prom and the moon comes up and you lose control, huh? What if the pull is too strong and you can’t stop it?”

Sadie, out of frustration more than anything else, sank into a bar stool at the island and started crying. She ducked her head into her hands and sniffled pathetically, trying not to let the tears flow as hard as they wanted.

“Sadie, come on, Monkey, don’t cry,” Stiles said, breaking down and hugging his daughter. She shifted so she was pressed into his chest. There was nothing like a Stilinski hug, Sadie had found out growing up with the Stilinski men. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sick of being different than everyone else. I can’t go to any of my friends’ parties, and I can’t have people over to study,” she sobbed into his chest. “I have to worry about werewolf hunters and encroaching packs on top of homework and teachers hating me. I don’t want to be a werewolf anymore. I just want to be normal.”

“Oh, Monkey,” he sighed, glancing over at his spouse who looked just as lost as he felt. “You’ll be okay. Your father and I promise that we will think about prom.”

“Really?” she sniffled.

“Yeah, baby. Really.”

She pulled away and wiped at her eyes before giving him a small smile and sneaking upstairs to her room, leaving two confused parents in the kitchen below.

-&-

“I really think you’d like him if you just gave him a chance,” Sadie said, sliding into a seat beside her father a few days later.

“It isn’t about your date, Sadie, and you know that,” Stiles replied.

“It’s about my ability to control my wolf, yeah, I get it. But you know I’m in control. I’ve always been in control. When was the last time I shifted without meaning to?”

“You were five and I didn’t give you Skittles.”

“I was five and, of course I did. Why did I have to be this way? Kai isn’t a wolf!” Sadie whined, a trait she inherited from Stiles everyone had decided. Kai was more Derek’s son, quiet and broody, all dark hair and glowers.

“It’s a genetic trait, Sadie.”

“Yeah, I know, okay? You and Dad have lectured me on how it’s a gift, and I’m very special because Alphas don’t have born wolves often, and how it’s a Hale birthright. I get it. But Kai is so lucky. He doesn’t have to tiptoe around his classmates because he’s afraid he’ll hurt them! He can go out for sports if he wants to, because he doesn’t have freaky strength, and speed, and reflexes! He can go to prom on the full moon because he doesn’t have to worry about shifting because he gets too excited! Do you see how unfair that is?”

“Sadie,” Stiles sighed.

“He looks just like Pops, and I’m the one who gets his stupid gift!”

“Tell me about your date,” Stiles said, directing the conversation away from Sadie’s werewolf issues. Sadie was grateful.

“Oh, gosh, Daddy! He’s so nice! He smells like coffee and Grampa, because his brother is Deputy Jameson, and he hangs out with the deputies after school. He always does his homework on time, every single time no matter what’s going on in his life, and he is a student counsel tutor willingly. He was a boy scout, and he literally helped a little old lady cross the busy intersection by the diner last week. He’s like Uncle Scott, except sweeter and better at being a friend.”

“Your Uncle Scott was a great fri-“

“Shut up, Dad. I’ve heard your stories about Scott in high school. He ditched you for Aunt Allison every time he could. That’s not a great friend.”

“Well, okay, not so much, then. But he had my back at every other time, once he got over his new werewolf powers and girlfriend. You shouldn’t be hearing those stories, Sadie Mae.”

“You have a loud voice in an echoing house, and I have super hearing. It’s not like I was listening intentionally, because as much as I love Uncle Scott, ew.”

“That’s my girl,” Stiles grinned and nudged Sadie gently with his elbow. She grinned back and leaned into him, just like the Daddy’s girl she was. “So, is this a Lydia Martin sized crush?”

“I haven’t been crushing on him since the third grade, Dad,” Sadie whined, elbowing him back. “Besides, that didn’t really work out well for you, did it? Aunt Lydia is great and all, but Pops.”

“Pops, indeed. Your father has a way of fucking up all of my plans in life.”

“Meaning me?”

“Oh, never you, Monkey. You were a surprise, sure, but I promise you that I have never regretted you for a single moment of my life. Except, maybe, that week that you decided you wanted to be an astronaut and were convinced you could jump to the moon from the roof. I regretted you for that week, but only because you scared the piss out of me.”

“I healed.”

“You scared me.”

She gave him a sheepish smile. She’d been 5, in her defense. They were always telling her she could be anything she wanted to be, and she wanted to be an astronaut, wanted to see the stars. She’d gotten it into her head that if she jumped hard enough, she could soar out of the atmosphere and to the moon. She’d been wrong, obviously, so wrong that she’d managed to break her arm for a couple hours, and they’d never let her forget it.

“Do I still scare you? Going out on the full moon?”

“No, not so much. I trust you. I know what you’re capable of. You’ve always been powerful, ever since you were a baby and all you could shift was your eyes and claws. You’ve been in control since you manifested, and I’m so proud of you for it. And I, I totally see where you’re going with this, Sadie.”

She smiled.

“You trust me, Daddy. You trust me to control myself. I _can_ control myself. I won’t shift on the full moon until I get home! I promise! I know how to fight the moon’s pull, how to keep it in check. I’ve literally been doing it since I was born! Okay, not born, but since before I can actually remember.”

Stiles sighed, because his daughter was right.

“I’ll talk to your father,” he resigned. She grinned, her smile lighting up her whole face as she bounced closer and kissing him.

“You’re the best, Daddy!”

-&-

Aunt Lydia had volunteered to take Sadie dress shopping when she first started bringing it up to her pack. Lydia was the most well-dressed, fashionable member of the pack, and she was also Sadie’s favorite, but Sadie would never _dare_ say that out loud. Her actual aunt, Cora was the kind who killed for less, and she knew about Aunt Allison’s past, her family famous for killing werewolves. Not that Lydia wasn’t scary, but she had a softness about her that made her seem far less threatening than the other two. Both Aunt Cora and Aunt Allison had husbands to counteract their _intensity_ , soft, squishy husbands that looked like teddy bears.

“How’s Noah?” Sadie asked, folding into Lydia’s cute hatchback. Noah was Lydia’s toddler, half banshee and half human with big blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair.

“Oh, he’s good. He’s at my mother-in-law’s, because she insisted,” Lydia said with a roll of her perfectly lined eyes. Sadie had always been jealous of her ability to look flawless with a minimal amount of work put in. If Sadie wanted to look like a cover girl on a magazine, _which Aunt Lydia always did_ , she had to put in three hours and have help from professional make-up artists. She blamed it on her genes, because Stiles didn’t care what he looked like and Derek was opposed to anything make-up wise. He would be a mountain man, with a full mountain grown beard, if Stiles let him, Sadie reckoned. It was Stiles’ fault that Sadie dressed the way she did, too. She’d inherited his penchant for pop culture, particularly everything Batman, and today had picked out a Batman tank top to pair with a pair of dark, fitting jeans and a pair of dark combat boots. (However, she knew that those were a _thing_ she picked up from Derek.)

“So, what’s your theme for prom?” she asked.

Sadie grinned. “It’s actually themed after the Yule Ball from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire! There’s gonna be ice sculptures and tinsel and everything’s going to be icy and white!”

“That sounds beautiful,” Lydia said, turning out of the Preserve. They drove in silence, listening to the quiet hum of the car. Beacon Hills wasn’t exactly a thriving metropolis, but Lydia was taking Sadie to the local dress boutique for a prom dress.

Both Sadie and Lydia had express instructions from both Stiles and Derek about the dress in question. It had to be a certain length, and it couldn’t be strapless, and if either found a problem with the design, it was to be returned and Sadie was going to be wearing a full length gown with a jacket over her shoulders. Her fathers were ridiculous.

“So, do you have a date?” Lydia asked as they got out of the car. Lydia circled around to Sadie’s side, ready to cross the street. Lydia Martin was adorable, Sadie had decided years before. She was just barely five feet tall, but with her constant heels, came to about 5’ 4”, still three inches shorter than Sadie while barefoot.

“I do. He’s Deputy Jameson’s brother, Ryler.”

“Ryler,” Lydia mused, rolling the name around for a moment before nodding, seemingly in approval. “Tell me about him.”

“He’s so cute, Aunt Lydia!” Sadie gushed, clinging to her aunt’s arm as they entered the boutique. “He’s actually Kai’s tutor, and he knows about Pops and Dad, and he still wants to meet my family. He doesn’t mind that I live in a big house full of family and family friends, and he doesn’t listen to the rumors about the pack. He likes me for me, and he doesn’t care what other people say about me.”

“What do other people say about you?” Lydia asked.

“That I’m a freak,” Sadie said with a shrug. “It’s alright. I have a pack, and I’m a werewolf, and I have two dads instead of one mom and one dad. I’m not exactly the most normal girl in school.”

“That doesn’t make you a freak, Sadie,” Lydia assured her, catching her arm and stopping her. “You’re special, you’re unique. Not everyone will see that, but you are. You are Sadie Mae Stilinski-Hale, and you are completely loved.”

Sadie leaned in and kissed Lydia on the cheek.

“Let’s shop!”

-&-

Sadie stood in front of the mirror in the bottom floor bathroom, smoothing her hands over the fabric. It was navy blue with silver embellishments and a bit of lace at the sides, falling to just above her knee. She turned, admiring the back in the mirror.

“Are you going to come out?” Cora called.

“Y-yeah, hold on,” Sadie called back. She let her hair down from its ponytail, and fanned it around her shoulders. She looked like Stiles Stilinski, with the same upturned nose, the same whiskey colored eyes, the same moles dotting constellations on their skin, the same exaggerated Cupid’s bow mouth. She had his build, thin and tall with long limbs and fingers. She had elements from Derek Hale, too. She had his jaw and his skin tone, and apparently his temperament, if Stiles was to be believed, and there was that pesky werewolf trait she’d inherited.

“Sadie, let’s see it!” Cora called again a few minutes later.

“Are Dad and Pops out there?” Sadie asked.

“Yes, we are,” Stiles replied. “Now, come on, Monkey. Let’s see it.”

Sadie let out a shaky breath and unlocked the bathroom door, stepping out to find both her fathers, her aunts Cora, Lydia, and Allison, as well as an unimpressed baby brother Kai waiting for her.

“Wow,” Cora and Allison chorused. Lydia grinned proudly, bustling forward and taking Sadie’s hand. She made Sadie turn slowly to give the small crowd a full 360 view of the dress.

“That is beautiful, Sadie,” Allison cooed. “You just look so grown up.”

“I don’t like it,” Derek grumbled.

“The dress or me looking so grown up?” Sadie asked, catching his eye. He looked away.

“It’s gorgeous,” Stiles said, stepping forward to hug his daughter. “Your Pops just doesn’t like that you’re growing up. If it were up to him, you would still be a baby so he could protect you from everything. I don’t like it much either, but I’m grown up enough to accept that my baby girl isn’t a baby anymore, and that she looks like such a princess in that dress.”

Sadie laughed, kissing her father on the cheek.

“Thank you, Daddy.”

Stiles turned to Derek and raised his eyebrows.

“What about you, Pops? You okay with the dress?”

Derek worried at his lip, before nodding.

“Yay! Thank you, Pops!” Sadie squealed throwing a hug around his neck. He was the one she was actually worried about vetoing the dress. Stiles was wrapped around her finger, had been since she was born since he was the one who carried her, and as long as it was reasonable, she could convince him of anything. Derek, however, was strong, silent, and stubborn. He was less easily swayed, and needed actual convincing, with actual logic, and lots of teary begging. Sadie had become the master at sniffling and groveling simultaneously over the years.

“You look beautiful,” the Alpha finally said as his daughter detached from him.

“What do you think, baby brother?” Sadie asked, jostling the human boy with an elbow.

“Meh,” he replied before disappearing upstairs. Sadie shook her head; she would never understand why Kai disliked her so much. It’d started even when they were kids, and hadn’t stopped. He just didn’t like her, and he went out of his way to let her know that. 

“Don’t mind him,” Stiles apologized. “He’s been in a mood all day.”

“That boy has been in a mood since the day he was born,” Sadie corrected.

-&-

Prom night and Sadie could feel the moon’s constant position, tugging incessantly at her wolf. Over the past weeks, her Alpha had talked to her about every single humanizing trick he knew, and she felt like she could take on the world.

If only her hands would stop shaking.

Aunt Cora brushed her hair slowly, humming softly as she tied back half of Sadie’s hair, leaving her bangs to sweep across her forehead and the rest of it to fan around her shoulders.

“Are you nervous?” Cora asked, setting aside the brush to pick up the curling iron. She set to work on the body of Sadie’s thick, dark brown hair. She had the Hale hair, like Kai’s and Derek’s.

“Yeah, a little,” Sadie answered honestly. There was no use lying about it, since most of her family could pick up on the blip of her heartbeat. She prided herself on being honest, no matter if they could hear it or not.

“That’s okay. I think everyone is a little nervous about prom,” Cora said.

“Were you?”

“I never went,” Cora answered.

“That’s right, you didn’t go to high school with Dad, did you?”

“No, I spent most of my formative years in South America, and when I came back to find your Pops, I was suspected dead, so no high school for me.”

“Lucky,” Sadie murmured.

“Not if you put into consideration _why_ I was hiding in South America and was thought dead.”

“Dad calls her my Almost Mommy, and it pisses Pops off,” Sadie commented.

“Yeah, your dad likes to rile my brother up pretty good.”

“He’s the only one who can.”

They laughed because Stiles Stilinski had a talent for getting under Derek’s skin and poking until Derek yelled. It was a game for Stiles, while no one else dared disturb the Alpha. Maybe that was the benefit of being married to the Alpha, being the Alpha’s mate. Maybe you got certain poking privileges.

“How’d you know that Uncle Isaac was the guy for you?” Sadie asked, staring at her nails. Lydia had taken her the day before for a manicure and pedicure, as well as lunch and shopping. Sadie spent more time shopping with Aunt Lydia than she did anything else with anyone else. Since they’d been introduced when Sadie was two, Sadie had become Lydia’s favorite for spoiling. Sadie was sure that Noah wasn’t even spoiled as much as Sadie was, and Lydia had given birth to Noah.

“I just kind of woke up one morning and he’d drooled on me, and I didn’t care. I wanted to, I don’t know, have him next to me every morning, even if he drools,” Cora answered. “It also helped that he’s really cute.”

“Uncle Isaac is kind of adorable,” Sadie agreed. “How’s Little Baby Lahey Numero Dos doing?”

Cora’s belly was barely a thing at that point, but she had announced her pregnancy a month before. Their first kid, a quiet toddler named Colbie, hadn’t quite understood why Mommy was carrying his little brother or sister in her tummy, and wasn’t all that excited about it. The rest of the pack was thrilled. Little cubs were celebrated, especially because at one point, Sadie had been told, the pack was three betas and an Alpha. Uncle Scott and Aunt Allison also had a kid, an 8-year-old girl named Victoria after Allison’s late mother, but weren’t planning on another.

The pack now consisted of Stiles and Derek, Sadie and Kai, Scott and Allison, Victoria, Peter, Boyd and his soon-to-be wife Ginny, Isaac and Cora, Colbie and their bun in the oven, the Sheriff and Melissa McCall, now married, Lydia and her husband, and Noah. It had grown into a real pack, with a Head Beta, and mates. They’d just been teenagers when it had formed, growing into one another and away from one another, but somehow they’d stuck it out, and Sadie was glad her life had turned out this way.

“Oh, she’s good. She’s not much right now, but sometimes I can feel her move at night. Just don’t tell Isaac I said that. He likes to feel the baby kick, but she’s not big enough yet.”

“It’s a girl?”

“I don’t actually know for sure, but there’s this bond between mother and child, especially in wolves, and I just feel like my little circle of a baby is gonna be a girl.”

Sadie smiled. She knew Stiles hadn’t known until the doctor told him if Sadie was gonna be a girl, and Kai was the same way, considering Stiles was human, and so was Kai. Maybe she would feel the same when she had a kid, which wasn’t going to be for a very long time. Her father had gotten pregnant at seventeen with her, and while she _knew_ he didn’t regret it at all, she knew how hard it had been for them when she was a baby.

“Don’t tell Isaac that either.”

“What aren’t we telling Isaac?” Isaac said, swinging into the bathroom with them.

“Oh, nothing. Just some friendly aunt-to-niece girl talk advice.”

Isaac hummed, narrowing his eyes.

“Your date just pulled up, Sadie,” Isaac said. “Your father wanted me to tell you that if you don’t want The Big Bad Wolf eating him on the front porch, you two should hurry it up.”

“Beauty takes time, Ponyboy,” Cora informed him.

“Don’t shoot the messenger, Cora Lahey. Shoot your brother-in-law.”

“Let’s not,” Sadie suggested.

“I’ll go babysit your Pops, just hurry,” Isaac said, catching Sadie’s eye in the mirror before disappearing into the hall.

“You don’t think Pops will actually hurt Ryler, do you?”

“My brother is very protective of you, Sadie. He doesn’t want you to get hurt, but I don’t think he’ll stand in the way of you being happy, either. If Ryler is good to you, and makes you happy, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll treat Ryler with respect, intimidating respect but respect nonetheless.”

Cora set down the curling iron and smiled into the mirror. They had already covered Sadie’s make-up, some lip gloss, a bit of foundation and blush, and sparkling blue eye shadow, and it seemed that Sadie was ready. Cora helped Sadie into her heels, which raised her up another two inches to a full 5 foot 9 inches. She was going to tower over Lydia, but at least Ryler was over six feet, making her still shorter than her date.

“You look beautiful, Sadie. Your parents made the most beautiful little cub that I have ever seen, and that’s including my own,” Cora gushed, resting her hands on Sadie’s shoulders. “Now, come on, let’s go save your date from our Lord Alpha.”

They exited the bathroom and Cora held her at the top of the stairs, holding up a finger before dashing downstairs.

“Hi, you must be Ryler. I’m Stiles, Sadie’s dad. Come on in; ignore the looming shroud of muscle in the corner. That’s Derek, also Sadie’s dad. He won’t bite, much. It’s nice to meet you, Sadie’s actually told me a lot about you. Your brother is one of my father’s deputies, isn’t he?” Sadie heard before Cora cleared her throat loudly.

“Gentlemen, without further ado, Sadie Mae Stilinski-Hale,” Cora announced. Sadie watched as the three joined Cora at the foot of the stairs. Sadie locked eyes with Ryler, her six foot something human date with big blue eyes and broad shoulders. Kai had made a comment one day about how Pops-like Ryler was; he ended up with a bruised shoulder and hadn’t spoken to her for a week. He wasn’t wrong, however.

She looked to Stiles and laughed, hurrying down the steps to throw him into a Stilinski-style hug.

“Daddy, don’t cry! It’s okay!” she soothed, rubbing his back like he always had for her. When she was two, she’d gotten very sick and all she can remember from then was cuddling with him, his hand rubbing concentric circles into her back as he sang to her.

“I’m okay, I’m okay. You’re just so grown up, and I need a moment. Come on, Der. Let’s leave the kids to themselves,” Stiles said, kissing her cheek and pulling Derek into the kitchen. Cora disappeared, leaving Sadie with Ryler.

“I’m trying to come up with something to say,” Ryler admitted, stepping closer. “But every adjective I know isn’t enough. You’re just, so, so wow.”

“You are so articulate sometimes,” Sadie joked, gaze dropping to her feet.

“I try, but you know, it’s hard to think when there’s a Stilinski-Hale gal in my midst.”

“Oh, jeez. You’re as cheesy as my Dad.”

“Yeah, maybe. Oh, so, I got you this,” he said, holding up a box with a corsage in it. “I think it goes on your wrist? I think that’s what Jimmy said.”

“Jimmy is your brother?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I’m sorry, your brother’s name is James Jameson,” Sadie giggled.

“Your father’s name is Stiles Stilinski,” Ryler replied.

“Actually, my father’s name is-”

“Don’t you dare, Sadie Mae or I am rescinding the agreement!” Stiles called from the kitchen. “I know where you sleep, young lady, and I will lock you in there for the rest for eternity.”

“Ouch,” Ryler chuckled.

“It’s Polish, anyway. It’s my great-grandfather’s name, and it’s basically a keysmash, so he doesn’t like to talk about it,” Sadie explained. “Besides, it’s Stiles Hale.”

“Your Dad took the Hale name, huh? And you did too?”

“Sort of, it’s hyphenated. Officially, it’s Sadie Stilinski hyphen Hale, but I just go by Hale because it’s easier to say, and spell. Kai goes by Hale, too, to keep with the theme or something.”

“Yeah, my brother took my dad’s name in the divorce, while I was still a kid living with my mom, so we don’t have the same last name.”

“That’s right, Ryler O’Connell. O’Connell means as strong as a wolf, did you know that?”

“No, can’t say I did.”

“Well,” Sadie grinned. “Are you gonna put that on me, or?”

“What? Oh, right! Corsage!”

He snapped open the plastic package and removed the wristlet and set the packaging on the bannister. Sadie held out her wrist and watched while Ryler slid the corsage over her hand.

“There,” he said with a proud grin. “Perfect.”

“Should we get going?” she asked, gesturing to the door.

“Pictures!” Lydia called. Sadie hadn’t even known she was there, let alone listening in. She swept in from the back deck, Noah toddling after her with a pacifier in his mouth.

“Hi Aunt Lydia,” Sadie sighed.

“You must be Ryler. I’m Sadie’s Aunt Lydia, and this is Cousin Noah.”

“He’s adorable.”

“Thank you. Now, pictures.”

Lydia posed them in front of the stairs and Sadie looked at Ryler as the flash went off, a trick she’d learned from her pack at a young age. The flash always triggered their eyes, so they tended to look away from the camera.

“Parental units!” Sadie called as Lydia mentioned a family photo. “Little brother!”

Kai trudged unhappily from his cave upstairs while Stiles and Derek emerged from the kitchen. They stood together, shoulder to shoulder before Lydia.

“Oh, I think you guys can do better than that,” Lydia said, her face getting that expression that said she wasn’t messing around. “Try to actually look like a family, will you?”

Derek pulled Sadie close and she leaned in, feeling comforted by the presence of her Alpha. Stiles wrapped Kai in a one-armed embrace and a smile broke out on both faces.

“Smile for the camera, Hales,” Lydia called, and just as she clicked the shutter, Derek dropped his head down to kiss Sadie’s temple and she closed her eyes to lean into it. “That was perfect.”

“Can I go, or?” Sadie asked.

“Right, right, sorry. Prom awaits,” Lydia said, scooping Noah off the floor and clacking her way into the living room. “Have a good time; don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Coming from the woman who dated Jackson Whittemore,” Stiles muttered.

“I heard that, Stilinski, and I am not afraid to kick your ass in front of your children,” Lydia called back.

“Seriously, can I go? Because there’s this prom thing that Ryler and I were gonna catch, you know, with our friends, and some cheap punch, and probably really bad chicken served for dinner.”

“Oh-kay, Sassy Mouth, you can go. Have a good time,” Stiles said while shooing the couple out the door before Derek could change his mind about Ryler, or the full moon rising slowly in the darkening sky.

-&-

“Sadie Hale escorted by Ryler O’Connell,” one of the teacher chaperones announced, and Ryler led Sadie across the floor. They joined the line of juniors, wedged between Mark Haim and Julie Hedge. The outside pavilion was decked out in white icicle lights and tinsel, ice sculptors on each side of the entrance, both draped in white Christmas lights. The tables were covered in alternating silver and pale blue table clothes with frosted candle holders with a tiny electric tealight as a centerpiece. All of the plates and glasses were frosted and the floor was even dusted with a light coating of glitter to give it an icy look.

“It’s beautiful in here,” Sadie commented over her shoulder to Ryler who nodded.

“Prom Committee didn’t do a half bad job this year. Last year’s theme was Night in Rio, and it sucked. A lot.”

Sadie stifled a laugh, stuffing her fist into her mouth.

“Shhh, you’re gonna get us in trouble,” Ryler whispered.

She forced her giggles to stop just as the chaperone announcer reached the last junior. The crowd dispersed after a short speech from the Prom Committee, which Sadie tuned out in favor of counting the candles that had already been turned off in their holders. She led Ryler to their table by hand and sank into a seat beside her best friend since first grade, Paisley Willows.  

“Where’s Lucas?” Sadie asked, still holding onto Ryler’s hand. He hadn’t removed it or made any offended noises, so Sadie took that as a win.

“I don’t want to talk about Lucas,” Paisley grumbled. “Hey Ry.”

“Hey Paisley,” Ryler replied.

“What’d the jackass do now?”

“Oh, he decided that prom was below him and he wanted to play some stupid War of Worldcraft game-”

“World of Warcraft,” Ryler and Sadie chorused in correction.

“Yeah, whatever. It’s a stupid game that he chose over his girlfriend. Again. I don’t know why I bother with him. He acts like he doesn’t want to even look at me, let alone _touch_ me. I mean, he doesn’t even let me blow him anymore!”

“Pais, we could do with a little less detail on your nonexistent sex life, okay?” Sadie said, patting her friend’s hand. Waiters filed in from outside, each one carrying a platter covered in a silver dome, one for each table. One stopped at each table, and in unison, set the platter down in the center of the table.

“Bon appetite,” they said, the words echoing in the pavilion as they pulled off the lid and filed back out. Each platter was filled with different types of dinner foods: salads, chicken breasts, hamburgers, dinner rolls with butter, steaks, baked potatoes, and asparagus.

“Wow, they really went all out this year,” Ryler stated, whistling low.

“I didn’t even know we had the budget for this,” Paisley commented.

“Well, they did have us sell about seven thousand chocolate bars this year,” Sadie shrugged. “I should know, my pa- family bought half of them. It pays to have a big family full of pregnant women, small children, and a grandfather who thinks he’s being sneaky.”

“The Sheriff bought most of mine too,” Ryler said. “I think he gave most of them to the deputies since your father caught him with a desk drawer full of them.”

Sadie let out a snort.

They shuffled food onto their plates with the rest of their table, which consisted of a girl who reminded Sadie of Erica Reyes, a pack mate that she had only seen in pictures because she had died before Sadie was even born, and a quiet mousy boy who Sadie had never seen before. There was an empty seat where Lucas was supposed to be, but no one mentioned it. Paisley was a scary girl, and no one risked her wrath if they could help it. It’s half of the reason she liked Paisley, she was a lot like Lydia and anyone like Lydia couldn’t be half bad.

Sadie finished her plate before anyone else, a habit she picked up from eating with her pack- if you didn’t eat fast, you didn’t eat at all- and while her stomach wasn’t anywhere near full, she recognized that it _should_ be. She sipped happily at her water, ignoring the looks the other two were giving her. Paisley had eaten at the Hale house, and while she had lived to tell the tale, it wasn’t a tale that she thought of often. She understood why Sadie normally ate with such gusto, and Ryler didn’t much care either way, it seemed. It was Erica Look-A-Like and Mousekewitz that looked like they wanted to be pummeled in the face.

“Hey, you met my family, tell me more about yours,” Sadie said, nudging Ryler to get her mind off the Creeper Twins. It’d be just her luck that they were werewolf hunters or something, but so far they hadn’t pulled a crossbow or wolfsbane on her. She figured she was safe.

“Well, it’s just my brother and me, since my dad ditched when Jimmy was 18, and my mom died. Jim has complete guardianship of me, but he trusts me. He really likes the Sheriff, says he’s the best guy in the world,” Ryler answered, swallowing the piece of hamburger he was chewing.

“Yeah, we like to think so. He never killed my father, despite the shit Dad pulled when he was our age.”

“I’ve heard plenty of the Stiles Actual Juvenile Delinquent Stilinski stories from him personally, actually. Especially since he caught wind that I was taking you to prom. I think he was trying to intimidate me, somehow.”

“If he was trying to intimidate you,” Sadie said, “you’d know it. When my dad brought us back from Seattle when I was two, and he found out that Pops was my other father, he sat Pops down for a little chat where he cleaned his service weapon in front of him and then cocked it. Pops has been scared for his life plenty, but if you ask him, he’ll say that nothing is scarier than a father Stilinski protecting his cub.”

“Your dad was pretty cool about it.”

“Ahh, that’s just because you’re Deputy Jameson’s kid brother, and my dad is enamored with Deputy Jameson.”

Ryler chuckled and wiped his mouth just as the DJ announced that it was first dance. He stood and offered Sadie his hand.

“Can I have this dance?”

“Booooo!” Paisley called from behind them. Sadie glared at the girl and stood, taking his hand.

“I would love that.”

-&-

Two hours, a missing pair of heels, and two possibly broken toes later, Sadie collapsed with a laugh into her chair for a drink of water. Paisley stared at her phone, tears collecting in her eyes. Paisley was a thin girl with glowing tanned skin and long blonde hair piled on top of her head in a fancy updo, and always made Sadie feel like she was the girl next door.

“I guess it’s not a proper school dance without a girl crying, right?” Paisley laughed weakly and tossed the phone carelessly onto the table. “He just dumped me. Via text. He’s such a jackass. Says he doesn’t see us going anywhere, and he doesn’t want to string me along. Says he likes me, but not _that way._ Fucker took my virginity, made my parents hate me, and he says he doesn’t fucking like me that way. What a living piece of shit. What’s worse is that I let him. I let him do this to me.”

“Hey, listen to me. Pais, listen. You deserve better. I’ve always thought so. So right now, you’re going to get your cute, perky butt onto that dance floor and you are going to dance with me so hard, you forget anything about Lucas Fucking Cummings. Do you understand?”

Paisley smiled, but it was full of self-pity.

“I think I might just go home, actually.”

“No, you’re not. You, me, dancing until I can’t breathe. Okay?”

“Sadie.”

“Paisley.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.”

“You and Ryler were having such a good time.”

“And Ryler and I will have many, many good times. Right now, you need me more than him. And if he’s the good guy I think he is, he won’t mind. Come on.”

Sadie pulled and tugged, before Paisley stood and she allowed herself to be dragged onto the floor.

“I love you,” Paisley said with a smile.

“I love you, too, baby girl. Now, come on. Dance with me.”

-&-

“And the prom queen is…” the announcer paused. “Paisley Willows!”

-&-

When Ryler pulled up beside Dad’s old Honda and Pops’ new Camaro- a beast that had Dad crying for some nostalgic reason- the house was dark and there was two solitary heartbeats sounding from inside. The headlights swept over Kai, sitting alone on the porch, head in his hands.

“Thank you, Ry. I had a great time tonight, and I would invite you to walk me to the door and kiss me goodnight like a good date should, but I think my little brother needs me. Call me tomorrow, and we’ll talk about that kiss, yeah?”

Ryler grinned and leaned over the center console to press a delicate kiss into Sadie’s cheek.

“Go be a superhero.”

Sadie stepped out, waving at Ryler and crossing the yard to the steps.

“Hey Little Brother, where is everyone?”

“Dad’s asleep, has an early shift in the morning. The rest are out rolling around in clovers or something, whatever it is you guys do on the full moon without us humans.”

“We catch and eat bunny rabbits,” Sadie deadpanned. Kai shot her a look as she sank onto the step with him. “What’s on your mind, Kai?”

“Nothing. It’s just so empty in the house with just Dad’s snores.”

She laughed, reaching up to unhook the clip holding back her hair.

“Hey, what do you say we go for a run? I need to get out some energy.”

“You need to get some energy out, after prom. You are something, Sadie,” Kai shook his head. “If you were human, you’d be asleep on my shoulder right now.”

“Yeah, well,” Sadie shrugged. “You wanna go? I’ll go change really quick.”

“I can’t keep up with you, you know that.”

“Bet you could. You know I’ve got shit lungs, kid. Werewolf or no, you can take someone with asthma.”

“Yeah, okay, let’s go.”

“Alright, I’ll be right down. Maybe you’ll even tell me what’s wrong.”

Kai laughed as Sadie headed inside, kicking off her heels at the door. She unclasped her necklace and pulled out her earrings, leaving them both on the table by the door as well as with her hair clip. She dashed up the stairs, and unzipped her dress in her room, trading it for a pair of comfortable shorts and a tank top. She tied her hair up and used her make-up remover wipes to remove what was left of her eye shadow and lip gloss.

She looked more like Stiles than ever in that light; even though her eyes had turned a glowing golden with the moon’s pull.

She skipped shoes; she preferred to feel the forest floor beneath her feet, even if Stiles complained about the mess she trailed through the house for a week afterwards. It was worth it, being that connected with nature. It was even worth the comments she normally got from Kai about being a Neanderthal. She liked it. Most of the wolves did.

She joined Kai who had donned shoes on the front porch. They started off jogging into the Preserve, Kai allowing Sadie to lead.

“So, what’s your issue with me?”

“I don’t have an issue with you,” Kai said, his heartbeat speeding and he flinched. “You’re the favorite, you know that? You’re Dad’s little girl, and you’re Pops’ most powerful Beta, even before _Uncle Scott,_ the supposed True Alpha. You’re the golden child, and everyone loves you. You’re so lucky, and you treat it like it’s nothing.”

“I’m not the favorite! And I’m not lucky! Being a werewolf is not all it’s cracked up to be, you know. I don’t get to do half the shit you get to do because they’re afraid I don’t know how to control myself. You are not restricted by the fucking lunar cycle. You get a choice, Kai,” Sadie said, stopping and catching Kai by the arm. “If you want to be like me, like Pops, and Cora, and Scott, you can ask for the Bite. They will give it to you, after a little bit of discussion. You can _become_ like me, but I was born this way. I can never be human. I can never choose not to be this, because this is all I am. Do you know how much I would give to be human with that choice?”

Kai bit his lip.

“You want to be like me?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper but it didn’t matter. Sadie heard him, and he knew Sadie heard him. “Why? I’m so weak, and you’re awesome.”

Sadie did what Stilinskis do best; she wrapped Kai in a hug and buried her nose into his shoulder. Kai was just as tall as Sadie, although he was built like Derek, with thick cords of muscles in his arms and legs, broad shoulders and a full head of thick, nearly black hair. He was practically a miniature Derek Hale, aside from the fact that both of them had inherited Stiles’ eyes, wide bright amber eyes.

“You’re kind of awesome, too,” she whispered, nuzzling into his embrace deeper. She hugged a lot of people, a side effect of being a werewolf and being a Stilinski, but she didn’t often hug her own brother. She felt bad about that, too, because he was an excellent hugger.

They parted a few minutes later with a shared chuckle.

“Come on, Little Brother. Let’s see if you can keep up with an asthmatic werewolf.”

“Ha! That’s no problem! I’ve been training all year for this!” Kai said and he took off. Sadie laughed and gave him a few seconds before starting after him, howling happily at the moon through the trees.


End file.
